The service saw in the actions of the organizations Signs of an international price conspiracy in the market of elite branded products. – PROFASHION/PROFASHION magazine

FAS suspects Mercury and Tsum in a cartel conspiracy with brands

The Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) suspected in violation of competition the management company TD Tsum, the largest retail seller of luxury, Mercury.

The FAS Russia announced in an official letter on the site that he was conducting on -site inspections regarding distributors of luxury goods in the Russian market. In addition to the Mercury group of companies, the checks affected a number of official representative offices of foreign brands.

According to the agency, the actions of organizations have signs of international price conspiracy in the market of elite branded products. This also applies to the sale of goods online. Suspects in conspiracy with a retailer were not discovered. Details of the audit are also not announced. The FAS only indicated that the inspection had to wait more than two hours in order to go inside the office premises and start checking.

The maximum punishment for participating in a cartel conspiracy is up to 15% of the annual revenue of the company, and the turnover of the inspeced organizations in 2020 exceeded 90 billion rubles. Thus, if suspicions are confirmed, Mercury threatens a fine of up to 13.5 billion rubles. For restricting competition, Russian laws provide for criminal liability, the service added.